Obsession the Demon File
by Ishval
Summary: Revamped A new case for SPR puts them all in danger from a demon and Mai becomes a target. Will Naru be able to protect her? Sequel to new problem and Third in my Mai and Naru series.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any other anime or TV shows in this story. Love Ghost Hunt and wish it had continued.

Two identical boys ascended the ornate staircase that led towards the third floor for Music Room 3 of Ouran Academy. Both dark haired twins dressed in the blue uniform coats and pants whispered hurriedly. Both wore troubled and concerned expressions hoping their mother who taught here did not catch them.

"Do you think mom will actually call SPR today?"

"I don't know. You heard her talking to father this morning, she was pretty adamant especially with everything that's happening at home."

The other teen nodded in agreement. "Toshi, things are getting worse I'm afraid that something awful is going to happen. I think what's worse is how mom is acting."

Toshi glanced at his brother, "I agree she seems to be spacing out a lot more than usual. We need to talk to Haruhi."

They reached the landing at the top of the stairs. Shadows danced across the hall as the sun sailed across the late afternoon sky. They strolled down the hallway at a leisurely pace to the room where the Host Club met. Haruko eyed the watch on his wrist. "They should be finished with their club business."

As if on cue, the large double doors opened and a bunch of giggling girls walked out dressed in their poofy yellow dress uniforms, patterned after the elegant dresses of Europe in the late 18th century.

The boys stopped to allow the gaggle of girls to flow past them. They entered the room finding the large music room full of red velvet covered loveseats, and some tables and chairs. Ornate vases filled with bouquets of long stemmed red roses sat on several tables. Haruko sneezed as his sinuses rebelled against the overpowering scent of an indoor rose garden.

"Can I help you?" a tall blond teen asked from the side as he stood by another teen with dark hair and glasses who sat at a table typing on a laptop.

"We're looking for Haruhi Fujioka."

The tall blond bristled and gave the pair of brothers a severe once over. He opened his mouth but a smaller blond haired boy eating cake and drinking tea spoke up. "Haruko, Toshi, what are you two doing here?" his voice had a childlike quality.

"Well," Haruko scratched at the back of his head. "We came to talk to Haruhi about our problem. Maybe she can talk to her friend who works at that Psychic Research place."

"Yeah, we hear her boss is a hard-ass and only takes cases that interest him so maybe with the extra information he'll take our case," Toshi added.

Honey pointed towards the girl in question. "It's okay," Honey, the small Lolita type host called out to the other hosts. "They're third years from my class. They're nice guys."

The pair of brothers walked over to the table where said girl worked on her homework. On the outside, she looked like any other boy dressed in the boy's uniform and her hair was short like other boys.

The two twin brothers sat down uninvited. She eyed both with a severe glance. "So what's the story?" She put her cheek in her hand as she sighed blowing her bangs in the air. Today was not the day to try to finish her homework.

"Well you see…" they began and she listened intently. Their story terrified her. As they finished, she found the skin on her arms prickled and fought to rid her mind of the images they created with their words.

"I'll help you although I can't promise anything."

Mai sat at her desk and tucked a stray strand of her luminous brown hair behind her ear. In her two years working as the personal assistant to her narcissistic boss who liked to wear black, her hair had grown to reach her shoulders.

Her phone rang. She picked up the receiver and put the phone to her ear. "Shibuya Psychic Research, can I help you?" The woman on the other end sounded frantic over the phone as Mai wrote down her contact information before putting her on hold. Pressing the well-worn number one button, she spoke again. "Naru, I have a Mrs. Izanami Shiga on the phone for you. She sounds upset."

"Thank you, Mai," she heard her boss's masculine yet soft-spoken voice over the receiver. She sighed floating on cloud nine. "Mai, Tea." She transferred the call to his line. _He never changes but I wouldn't have him any other way_.

She strolled to the kitchenette. Hefting the teakettle, she turned on the faucet, poured water into the pot, and set it on the burner as she spun the knob on the stove igniting the flame. Reaching into the cabinet, she took out the canister of tea leaves, measured the proper amount, and dumped the leaves into the teapot. The aroma reached her nostrils. She closed her eyes and smiled sadly. She remembered a time when her mother taught her to make tea before her mother got sick and died of an illness had that not happened she wouldn't be able to make her boss's beloved drink. Mai wiped a stray tear that fell from her eye as she blinked to stop more tears from falling.

"Maybe Lin would like a cup too," she muttered and strolled with a bounce in her step to the older man's office door hearing the clacking of keys as he typed away on his computer.

She knocked on his door and heard his muffled command to enter. "Hey Lin, I'm making Naru some tea and wondered if you'd like a cup also?" At first, she had thought of the man as a grumpy uncle, as time wore on, she came to think of him as a father figure. She even confessed as much to him on his and Naru's return from England.

The tall Chinese man looked up at Mai with a soft expression on his face, not the cold blank stare he usually wore. "Yes, Mai, that 'd be great."

A bright, bubbly smile lit Mai's face. The bounce in her step became more pronounced as she hummed to herself as she strolled to the kitchenette and poured the now hot water allowing the leaves to steep. She heard a door close and peeked around the corner as Lin left his office with a laptop in hand and entered Naru's workplace.

She poured three cups of tea and placed them on the tray. Mair carefully walked to her desk being mindful not to spill a drop of the precious fluid her boss loved so well. She placed her cup on the piece of office furniture. The phone came to life as it rang demanding her attention. "Wow, sounds like Shibuya Station in here." She muttered to herself.

Picking up the receiver, "Shibuya Psychic Research, can I help you?" she asked in her most pleasant voice.

"Hey, Mai."

"Haruhi, what's up?"

"I was wondering if a Mrs. Shiga had called your office."

She looked down at her phone to see the light still lit. Naru was still talking to the woman in question. "Yes, she's on the phone right now," Mai screwed her face up. "How did you know?"

"She teaches at my school, and her kids are students here. This may sound strange but I was wondering if you knew whether or not your boss would take their case."

"Trying to figure out what case Naru will take is like trying to guess when an iceberg will melt."

"I have some more info that might sway your boss into taking the case. Her sons are here if you'd like to hear them first hand. To tell the truth Mai, what they have to say, makes my skin crawl."

Mai nodded but realized that Haruhi couldn't see her through the phone. She fought the urge to facepalm. "Okay, let me put you on hold and I'll tell Naru."

Mai strode over to Naru's office and knocked on the door while balancing the tray. Not waiting for the signal to enter she opened the door and placed Lin's cup by his hand and placed her boss's next to his phone.

Mai tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. The look he shot her made her shrink back a little. However, she drew herself up and refused to back down as she whispered. "Naru, two of the Shiga children are on the phone."

One of his eyebrows rose and Mai fought to hold back the laugh that threatened to bubble out of her as he reminded her of Mr. Spock. "I'll put them on line three."

Naru nodded imperceptibly, "If you'll excuse me. I have a phone call I must take," he apologized to Mrs. Shiga.

Mai exited his office, walked over to her desk, and transferred the phone call. She really wanted to know what they were talking about. However it would be unethical and she didn't want to be caught listening in. Mai glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed.

All her work was finished for the day, and she was bored. Her eyelids began to droop. 'No Mai, don't fall asleep, Naru will get mad if he finds me sleeping at my desk.' She slapped her cheeks.

Mai woke to find she way lying in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room. She looked around her surroundings taking in the posters on the walls of some teenage boy bands and TV stars. She tried to sit up except a pressure of some icy cold force held her down on the bed. Shivers pricked her skin from the icy touch.

A foul smell oozed from the walls as a hand ran over her body chilling her to the bone. She felt the hand sliding between her legs and she squeezed them shut as hard as possible. However, the force holding still forced them open as the hand found the spot it was looking for. _Somebody, anybody, please help me_.

"Mai…, Mai…," she woke to find Naru standing over her desk. "Goofing off again?" he gave her a critical eye.

"I… I'm sorry. I got bored and I guess I fell asleep."

He grabbed the bridge of his nose and squeezed as he lay the paper down on her desk. "Here's the fax number, we're taking the case. Fax the contract to her, and we'll pick it up on Sunday."

"Call everyone?" she asked as she fired up her computer and entered the number and sent the fax off. She picked up the receiver on the phone.

"Yes, call everyone. We will meet here tomorrow. The equipment needs to be checked out before we load the van. We'll leave Sunday morning at 8:30 am. Oh and call Jessica Manyhorses too. We may have need of her unique skills. When you're finished, we'll head home."

Mai nodded as she began to dial the unofficial members of SPR. If the tornado had not happened on that fateful day they would never have met Jessica and started their association with the self-proclaimed Marine brat. Mai's apartment building was a total loss. However, her biggest loss was the picture she had kept on the bedside table of her parents before they both died.

Naru moved her in with him that day, but the loss of the picture had hurt, although the miracle worker named Madoka found the picture in an archive. She considered herself lucky. Everyone even remotely connected to SPR became her second family. A wave of dizziness struck her as an image of a little girl with pigtails flashed in her mind. She slowly eased herself down in her chair. Was this a vision of the future to come? She shrugged it off as she made the last call.

Sunday, April 23rd 10:15 am

Mountains loomed off in the distance and a thick cloak of trees of a forest surrounding the house created a perfect backdrop for a portrait with the house the subject. The tires of the black SPR van crunched down the long rock covered driveway that ran up beside the huge Victorian Style house. Dark green ivy grew up one side of a limestone brick façade. It looked like a picture of a type of castle Mai saw in one of Naru's books from famous hauntings in England. The house itself was beautiful and huge. What drew her attention were the stained glass windows. 'This isn't a house, it's a mansion.'

Mai heard the sound of the passenger and driver doors opening with squeaks. She followed her black-clad boss and boyfriend out the passenger side as Lin exited from the driver's side. Mai drew out her digital camera from her backpack snapping off pictures concentrating on the windows for anything paranormal. She'd done this so many times that it was now second nature to her.

Her attention turned to the sound of crunching tires on rock and saw two more cars pulling up behind the van. One was the dark blue Mazda RX-7 that belonged to Jessica and the other was the more practical white passenger car owned by Hosho Takigawa who she affectionately called Monk.

Jessica stepped out of her car pulling her suitcase with her. She called out to Mai and the others, "Hey guys, so this is where your next case is huh, looks interesting." The darker skinned woman wore blue jeans, cut off tank top, and a black leather jacket. Her long jet-black hair pulled back into a ponytail.

Naru nodded in recognition as the others began to climb out of the Monk's car. He spun away as he inwardly cringed as a small woman came up to his side the famous medium Masako Hara, who hosted her own TV show as the woman from Long Island New York.

He relied on the brown-headed monk, Hosho Takigawa, and John Brown, a Catholic priest for exorcisms. Medical issues and minor blessings came under Ayako Matsuzaki. The research was Osamu Yasuhara. Although in college, the young man's skills as a researcher were above par. If he needed extra help, he could call in Madoka Mori, who taught him everything he knew about ghost hunting. Add to the mix his friend, bodyguard, guardian and assistant Lin Kojou, who was a Chinese sorcerer. Even though Naru was eighteen under Japanese law, he was still underage until he reached twenty years old.

Naru's long black trench coat billowed in the crisp April breeze. His stoic expression firmly in place he tugged on Mai's sleeve as his feet crunched across the rock that shifted under his weight to the front door. The door opened and a kindly older man stood in the doorway dressed in a dark blue suit. His black hair sprinkled with some gray at his temples, "SPR?" His hazel eyes held a hint of laughter.

"Yes, I'm Kazuya Shibuya and these are my associates," replied the ebon-haired teen with the air of authority circling around him.

The man held out his hand for the younger man to shake. "I'm Shino Shiga, and I'll take you to my wife. I was just on my way out to work."

Naru nodded as they shook hands and the man led the group towards the family room where his wife sat watching the children play video games.

"Izanami, SPR is here. Kids behave yourselves, I'll be home later this evening."

Izanami stood up, walked over to her husband, gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Be careful." She bowed to Naru and the others. "When you said your associates I didn't expect so many people." Mentally taking a quick count of heads, "Haruko, Toshi turn the game off and get a couple spare beds from storage for the men's room."

"Yes mother," the boys spoke at the same time and ran out of the room.

Mai felt a chill race up her spine as a knot formed in her stomach. A pair of unseen eyes bored a hole in her back. She did her best to hide her unease from the rest. She gasped as she saw the little girl from her vision.

Masako looked about and brought her kimono sleeve up to her face. "Naru I sense a spirit here watching us."

"What is it doing Miss Hara?"

"It's just watching. I can't get a focus on what type of spirit it is."

Naru opened his black notebook and jotted down some notes, closing it with a resounding snap. He bowed to Mrs. Shiga.

Etsu hid behind her mother's leg, as she looked up at all the people. She pointed towards the medium, "Your Masako Hara. I've seen you on TV. You talk to ghosts."

Masako hid her face again as she blushed. "Yes, I am."

"Girls, let's go show our guests to their base, and take them on a tour of the house."

"Yes Mama," both girls said at the same time.

Izanami, Cho, and Etsu led the group to a big library. They walked into the room where many books lined the walls and several bookcases stood as lone sentinels. A beige couch with overstuffed pillows sat on one side of a small coffee table, which faced a crushed red velvet couch with matching pillows. A Persian throw rug lay on the floor. A larger table sat close to a wall and Lin had confiscated a desk for the monitors. The room smelled of dusty, musty old books. "We decided this would be the best place for your base. The books came with the house. You might be able to find some kind of information about the things going on here from them."

"Thank you," Naru bowed to Mrs. Shiga.

"I should thank you for even taking my case. You know I tried to talk to that guy Minami from the Minami Psychic Research Center and he turned me down. He said I should go see a psychiatrist," Izanami said.

"We ran into him a year ago, he's a fraud," Mai spat out in anger as Naru silently agreed with her.

Izanami laughed. "I'm glad I didn't take his advice."

The tour of the house was informative to the CEO of SPR. Naru recorded in his handy dandy notebook the rooms and places to set up the cameras and motion detectors, and a couple of laser grids. When the ghost hunters returned to base he gave his orders to the others, "Lin, Takigawa, John, and Mai start unloading the van. Miss Matsuzaki, Miss Hara take a walk around the house and see if you can sense where the spirits are. Jessica and Yasuhara can start going through the books."

Lin connected a printer to his laptop and entered the information about the house into a program that automatically drew up a floor plan. He printed out the page and handed it off to Naru, who looked it over. He marked on the paper where he wanted all the cameras, motion detectors and the laser grids set up.

The stoic Chinese man plugged in the portable Wi-Fi for the wireless cameras and send reports to Madoka for Naru's father to peruse. The man, Martin Davis, was not only a professor at one of the highly esteemed colleges in England but also a board member for the British SPR.

Mai carried in a box of cables, her fingers deftly attached them to the mini-DVR and monitors the guys had set up. Once she was finished, she grabbed an electronic thermometer and clipboard to write down base temperatures of all the rooms while Monk and John set up the cameras.

Mai clipped a walkie-talkie to the belt of her blue jean mini skirt to keep in contact with the base and keep her hands free to write down the baseline readings.

With a copy of the floor plan in hand Mai, Monk, and John left the base and went to work.

The trio worked like a well-oiled machine on most cases; however, with Takigawa sometimes he was the proverbial fly in the ointment.

"So Mai, how are you and Naru doing?" he asked with a sly wink.

John blushed.

She rolled her eyes and glanced at the Monk aka bass player for a rock band who wore his light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was like a big brother to her. "We're doing just fine." An evil gleam flashed in her eyes as a wicked thought came to mind. "How are you and Ayako doing?"

"Why would I ever go out with her? She's too old for me."

John sighed and shook his head.

"Are you sure?" as she wrote down the temperature for the room and Monk adjusted the camera per Lin's instructions over the radio. "I would think it would be the other way around since Ayako is twenty-five and you're what twenty-seven or eight?"

"I'm sure Mai. Ayako is not interested in me at all."

"Are you interested in her, at all?"

"No way."

"Sure, Monk… keep on telling yourself that."

Monk placed his hands on his hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"For an adult, you sure are oblivious to the feelings both of you have for one another." Mai poked her finger into his chest as she added, "I've heard Ayako say things in her sleep about her hunky monk."

"Dear Lord," John blushed and crossed himself.

Monk blushed and huffed as the trio went on to Etsu's room and set up a camera, and a laser grid. She looked around the room and smiled. The room said girl here as a nice full sized bed with a pink canopy sat off to one side. A toy box in a corner filled with toys and games perfect for a six-year-old. A small bookshelf clung to the pink and white striped wallpapered wall.

Mai heard a creak on the floor behind her and spun around nothing was there. They continued setting cameras in different rooms. The uneasy feeling gave her the creeps. Dread overwhelmed her.

They found Cho's room and Mai froze. This was it, the room from her dream. The boy band posters on the wall greeting her as they mocked her from the wall her skin prickled in fear.

Monk glanced over at her, "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine…"

"Mai, this is Monk you're talking to. I can tell when something's wrong so spill it."

"I feel like someone's watching me," she whispered.

Monk drew her into a hug. "Don't worry, Mai. We're here for you." He playfully mussed her hair as he released her. John agreed. She glanced up at their calm faces and didn't feel so nervous.

They finished setting up the rest of the cameras without incident and walked back to base. Naru looked up from his black notebook as they entered the room. "Mai, tea," he ordered.

Mai sighed, rolled her eyes, and muttered to herself, "tea aholic jerk."

Naru smirked at her back as she walked out of the base.

Jessica stood next to him, "Is this your idea of foreplay, pissing Mai off?"

"So what if it is," he settled back in his chair as Jessica rolled her eyes and went back to helping Yasu with research.


	2. Chapter 2

Mai walked down the hallway. Her footsteps echoed along the hardwood floor, and dark wood paneling adorned the walls with exquisite wall scones every ten feet to banish the dark. She was so deep in thought about the dream she'd had in the office that once she glanced around, she realized she was totally lost. "I can't believe I did it again." Didn't matter where the case was or how big the building was. She was due to get lost, and this was another day.

Mai heard footsteps behind her and shrieked as she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She clutched her hands together to her chest as she turned. She gasped and laughed nervously seeing it was one of the Shiga twins.

Toshi smiled as he chuckled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." His hazel eyes lit up with a flash of mirth.

"Oh no," she waved her hands as she briefly closed her eyes. "I'm afraid I got lost trying to find the kitchen," she laughed as she spoke rapidly. "My boss needs his tea and he sent me to make him some, and I have this habit of getting lost."

Toshi laughed as he beckoned her to follow. "I'll show you the way."

As the pair walked down the hallway, Toshi took another sidelong glance at the girl out of the corner of his eye. "I'm Toshi Shiga."

"Mai, Mai Taniyama."

"Is it okay if I call you Mai?"

"Sure," she smiled brightly.

Toshi swallowed hard, a knot forming in his throat. "Do… do you have a boyfriend, Mai?"

She looked away as a hint of pink colored her cheeks. Getting her emotions under control, she curved her head back over to the son of their client. "I'm sorry Toshi I do have a boyfriend and if I didn't it would be unethical to date a client."

Toshi glanced down at the floor. The pair continued down the hallway in silence until he pointed towards the kitchen door. "Thank you," Mai bowed.

The kitchen was ultra-modern with Tiffany hanging lights from the ceiling with those cute stained glass shades with the fruit dancing around the sides. A huge island sat in the middle used for preparing the family's meals. Mai rummaged through the cabinets, and found the teapot and kettle, turning on the faucet she filled the kettle with water listening to the liquid gurgle as its level rose. Placing the pot on the burner and turned on the stove as the electronic ignition clicked and whoosh as the flame erupted beneath the kettle. An odor of unburned gas reached her nose.

She walked around the large kitchen and lost track of what she was doing. A pair of French style doors opened to a garden outside. She smiled as the sun's golden beam kindled a sparkle across the small koi pond she spotted from the doors.

Mai rubbed her arms. The room was getting colder. She froze as unseen eyes bored into her back. She frowned as she turned slowly to see if anyone was there, she shrugged her shoulders and waved into the camera knowing her knight in armor or his squire were watching her on the monitor and that gave her a little comfort. An image of Naru in black armor came to mind and she giggled. Of course, he would be on a solid black charger.

The kettle whistled, she poured the water into the teapot adding in the tea leaves as she turned the stove off. Before she could she pick it up, she froze. A warning bell went off inside her head telling her danger was behind her.

* * *

Lin sat watching the monitors for some type of temperature change. The DVR set to record when any activity occurred made his job a little easier than two years ago. He kept an eye on the monitor for the kitchen. He saw Mai wave into the camera. His mouth twitched into a small smile at her antics. When her expression changed, his brain waged war with his body. "Naru," the Chinese assistant called out urgently.

"Yes, Lin."

"Mai appears to be afraid."

"Keep an eye on her. I'll go to the kitchen to make sure she's okay. Contact me on the radio if anything else happens." He picked up a walkie-talkie and clipped it to his belt.

Lin nodded as Naru left the room. The temperature display on the monitor began to beep drawing Lin's attention to it. He spoke into the microphone, "Naru, the temperature is dropping fast in the kitchen."

"Send Takigawa down here."

Lin glanced at brown haired Monk, who dozed on the couch. "Takigawa, go meet up with Naru, Mai may be in trouble."

All Monk heard was Mai and trouble. He was out of the room in a flash.

* * *

Mai could see her breath as the temperature continued to drop. Her senses were going wild telling her that a ghost was lurking behind her. She knew she did not want to turn around. A cackle of laughter and a whoosh of cold came from behind as it passed through her dropping her to her knees. She winced in pain as her lungs burned and she coughed at the loss of the breath. The pain increased as she panted trying to regain her breath. "Hurts…" she managed to whisper.

A rancid dank smell reached her nostrils. Another scent blended in with the sour, rank smell caused her to gag.

She sensed the entity again and saw a dark figure dressed in a hooded cloak. She tried to see if it had a face, however, all she saw was a black shadow where the face should be. She heard a hideous male laugh as it opened what might have been a mouth.

Monk with prayer beads in hand appeared reciting a mantra to force the shadow to flee. "Baiji hora manda manda un hatta." The dark figure shrieked as if in pain and vanished from sight.

She felt the warmth of strong arms wrap around her as Naru knelt holding her close to him. Her breath whooshed in as she gasped for breath. Tears ran down her face, it still hurt to breath.

He examined her for injuries but found none that he could see. He rubbed her back.

Monk knelt down in front of her. "Mai, are you okay?" His concern shown in his eyes and a hint of sadness, as the thought came blaming himself. I should have been here with her, to protect her.

As her breathing slowed to normal, she smiled up at both men. "I'm better now," she whispered as she leaned her body into the warmth of Naru's and closed her eyes. She felt safe cradled in his arms, pressed against his chest.

Naru pressed the talk button on the radio. "Lin, are Miss Matsuzaki and Miss Hara on their way back to base?"

"They appear to be."

Naru looked down on Mai as he replaced the radio back on his belt. "Let's get you back to base. I want Miss Matsuzaki to check you over."

Mai rolled her eyes at him and sighed. "Okay…"

Naur helped Mai stand up and he surprised her as he picked up the tray holding the teapot and cups and carried it back to base with Monk and Mai following.

Monk leaned over to Mai, "Wow, you sure have him trained well."

"Shut up Monk."

* * *

Naru placed the tray on a table in the spacious library and poured two cups of tea one for himself and the other for Mai. He held the cup out to her. She took the cup and sat on the couch, leaning back as she inhaled the aroma allowing it to calm her nerves.

The young man stood beside his Chinese assistant. Lin replayed the footage of the attack on Mai from the kitchen.

Ayako and Masako entered the base. Masako flung herself at Naru and grabbed his arms. "It's horrible," Masako cried. "There are several spirits here." She grated on his nerves as she tried to get him to embrace and comfort her.

"Miss Hara, get ahold of yourself," he snapped as he pushed the medium away.

The cheerful chatter in the room stopped as all eyes fell upon the scene unfolding before them. Everyone looked at Masako as she clapped a hand over her mouth. Her initial shock fell to anger as she raged her lavender eyes hardened as she pointed at Mai. "Tell me why you care for that... that… thing. I'm the one who should be with you. I'm a star, I'm wealthy and famous, and she's just a… a… nobody, an orphan. Why did you choose her and not me?" Her face flushed as her blood boiled in hot anger.

Naru crossed his arms over his chest as he drew himself to his full height. Cold fury flashed in his dark cerulean eyes as the temperature dropped a few degrees around him. "Remember you're the one who opened this can of worms," his tone was as frosty as his response.

Naru glanced over at Mai. The girl wore a blank look as she witnessed the ongoing verbal tango between the medium and her boss.

"Why Mai and not you, simple answer to your question. Mai cares for everyone and puts others above her own well-being. Some people may believe that is a handicap, I don't for it shows her character."

Naru bit the inside of his cheek holding back the incredibly hurtful words he wanted to tell the foolish woman in front of him. Especially after, she used him in the past to hurt Mai and left him loathing himself. "Since the recovery of Gene's body you have nothing to blackmail me with."

Masako jerked back flinching. She didn't want anyone to know. Now there it was out in the open for everyone to see. Gasps reached her ears from the gallery.

"I do not need to hide the fact that I am Oliver Davis anymore. However, you failed to notice there is someone else here who has feelings for you. In your haste, you brushed him aside." His chilly composure fell into place with his stoic mask. "Now if we're finished here I have other business to attend to," he dismissed her with a wave.

He turned his ramrod straight back to the medium as if nothing happened. Sitting down in a chair, he opened his black notebook jotting down what the girl said before her emotional outburst. His well-defined features showing no trace of emotion.

Tears flooded Masako's eyes breaking the floodgate and streaming down her face. Her bottom lip quivered as she looked around the room to see some pitying and shocked expressions. She ran out of the base crying hysterically. She made an utter fool out of herself. How could she face them?

"Masako…" Mai whispered.

Naru looked at Ayako as if the whole scene never happened. "Miss Matsuzaki, would you take Mai to the room assigned to me and check to make sure she is unharmed."

Ayako looked at him confused, "Sure." Her face clearly had why written all over it.

"Mai was physically attacked earlier by an entity in the kitchen."

Ayako smiled sympathetically at the younger girl, "Come on miss beacon. Let's check you out."

"I am not a beacon," Mai huffed as she rose to join Ayako.

"Then how about ghost magnet," Ayako giggled at her own joke. The playful banter between the two continued as they left the base.

Naru secretly smiled at the girls back. He was simply amazed at how quickly she could bounce back to her cheerful self.

* * *

Yasu excused himself from the base. He knocked gently on the door. His heart hurt to hear Masako cry, if only she noticed him. He opened the door without a sound and slipped into the room.

Walking quietly over to the bed, Yasu sat down on the edge and tentatively reached out to rub circles on her back, as his own mother would do when he was upset as a boy. He swallowed hard trying to force the lump that formed in his throat down. "Masako," his voice was gentle.

The girl snubbed as she looked up and saw Yasu sitting there. She threw herself into his arms. "I really made an idiot out of myself today, didn't I?" She hiccupped as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Yasu sighed as he pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "Masako, I guess this had to happen. However, I want you to think a little, instead of crying your lovely eyes out. Think about who really loves you," he whispered in her ear as he held her.

Yasu's breath sent pleasant shivers down Masako's spine as she gulped. She focused on the word love. She tried to mull it over in her mind as exhaustion hit her like a brick. Her last waking thought was, does Yasuhara really love me?

Yau smiled down at her perfect face as her eyes drifted close. He laid her down on the bed, tugged a blanket over her small frame, and exited the room as quietly as he entered.

* * *

Mai and Ayako returned to the base. "I'm fit as a fiddle or so Ayako says," Mai announced to Naru.

Monk snatched the petite teen up in his strong arms and embraced her tightly in a bear hug. "I'm so glad, Mai." She tried to speak but he cut her air off.

Ayako smacked him hard on the backside of the head. "Hey, that hurt," Monk cried out as he released Mai and rubbed the back of his skull. "What did you do that for?"

Ayako glared at the monk, "You were suffocating Mai you, idiot."

A fight ensued between them and John tried his best to calm the pair down before their boss lost his cool.

Jessica witnessed the entire scene between Monk and Ayako she fought to stifle the laughter that was bubbling up but failed to do so.

"What's so funny?" Yasu hoped to get in on the joke.

She wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "Ayako just smacked Takigawa on the back of the head and it reminded me of someone I know."

"Oh really, I want to be nosey so who is it?"

"He's a friend of my dad's. They both served together in the Corps. He's a Special Agent working for the United States Government, and he has a habit of keeping his agents under control by giving them a head slap."

"Sounds like a fun guy."

Jessica smiled, "Yeah, Gibbs is a fun guy. He's all gruff on the outside, but he's always nice to me."

The pair secretly watched the argument between the monk and the priestess as the blond priest tried desperately to keep the couple from killing each other. "You know they both like each other," Jessica whispered to Yasu.

"Yes, but they're too vocal to listen with their hearts."

* * *

Haruko strolled into the library as the investigators of SPR reminded him of a beehive as they looked through books and journals. He made a throat clearing noise gaining their attention. "Mom says it's time for dinner and she sent me to show you where it is." Naru rose and everyone followed him out.

As the team from SPR entered the formal dining room, Mai gasped.

"Close your mouth, Mai. You'll catch flies," her boss smirked.

Marble flooring with red swirling through the stones, mahogany colored walls with gold filigree trim, a long table with matching chairs sat in the center of the room under two crystal chandeliers trimmed in gold. Portraits of the house and scenery hung on the walls. The sun shone through two stained glass windows, creating a rainbow of colors on the floor as it continued its dance to its own peaceful slumber.

"Oh, where's Miss Hara?" Izanami asked.

"She's in her room," Yasu commented. "I'll go get her."

"You're our guests. I'll send Toshi to get her." She nodded to the younger of her twins to carry out her request.

Masako woke and walked into the bathroom to clean her doll-like face of the tear stains that marred her porcelain skin. A foul odor oozed from the walls and infiltrated her nostrils causing her gag reflex to go into overdrive. Raising the toilet seat, she threw up the contents of her stomach and flushed it away. Rinsing her mouth of the vile taste, she heard a knock on the door and opened it to find Toshi waiting at the door. "My mother sent me to bring you to the formal dining room for dinner."

She followed Toshi to their destination. Yasuhara stood up and pulled Masako's chair out for her wincing as he scraped the chair legs across the floor. He muttered a silent Oops. Once she sat down, he pushed the chair towards the table.

"Thank you, Osamu," she bowed her head and hid her face as a little pink flushed her cheeks. She glanced towards Mai and Naru. She looked down at her hands cupped in her lap. She had behaved badly and embarrassed not only herself but also Oliver at the same time. She needed to apologize.

Izanami lifted a bell and shook it. The bell rang with a metallic tinkle, and several servants brought the evening meal of both Japanese and American foods.

The talk around the table was subdued until the light of the day seeped away. "Cho, Etsu it's time to get ready for bed," Shino told the girls. Cho shook her head, "I can't sleep in that room anymore, papa." The girl trembled in fear.

Haruko put his arm around his little sister. "She can sleep with Toshi and me."

Izanami looked as if someone had struck her. "That's unseemly. She can't sleep with you two."

Cho moved to hide behind Toshi and clung to his shirt as she glared at her mother. "No," she screamed, "I'm not sleeping in my room! The thing will hurt me again like it does every night."

"Thing, what thing, what are you talking about?" confusion was clearly written on the mother's face for everyone to see.

"Really, it's okay mother," Toshi sighed. "Cho has been sleeping in our room for the past month. Something attacks her nightly and you can see she's terrified."

Haruko nodded, "We won't let anything happen to Cho, and she knows we'll protect her to the best of our ability.

"I'll explain it to your parents," Naru spoke up as he and Mai waited to talk to the elder Shigas. "The rest of you go back to the library or go to your rooms to sleep."

The rest of SPR thanked their hosts for the meal.

"Mai take Etsu to her room and stay with her for the night." Naru's solemn expression reflected how empty he felt at that moment. He was using her as bait to get the spirit out into the open.

Mai looked at Etsu. "Let's go play dress-up," Mai smiled at the little girl.

Etsu smiled and hollered, "Yeah," and fist pumped as her pigtails bounced in the air.

Izanami smiled at the pair of girls as they left the room. "Your assistant is good with children, Mr. Shibuya."

"Yes, she is," he watched Mai leave with Etsu in tow. He bowed to the clients, "Is there somewhere more private where we can speak."

As Shino led, the way to the den Izanami smiled, "You and your assistant make a cute couple."

He bowed his head slightly to her, "Thank you," he accepted the compliment although he kept his cool demeanor in place.

The room they entered was half the size as the library. A desk sat by a window overlooking the driveway and the forest in the distance. Sitting on the desk was an actual Tiffany desk lamp with the original stained glass shade in splendid glory. A laptop sat in the center of the desk next to the lamp and a few files littered the surface. The room held a masculine smell of aftershave and tea. "This is my office when I get the luxury to work from home occasionally," Shino supplied as he and Izanami sat down on the couch while Naru took a seat in a nearby chair.

He folded his hands together as he leaned forward in the chair. "This spirit that Etsu calls the Black Man has appeared in Cho's room for the past month." He glanced down at the floor, this was going to be the hard part he knew it. Looking both parents in the eyes, "Cho is being molested by this spirit, that's why she is refusing to sleep in her room. This is difficult for me to speak of because I can't abide in a child being tormented that way."

Izanami drew in a shocked breath and Shino balled his hands into fists. "Why would this happen to our daughter?" Izanami asked as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"If this thing weren't already dead I'd kill it myself," Shino spoke anger radiating off his body.

"Please help us stop this nightmare."

"I'll do everything I can to help. I need to find what it is we're dealing with. We do know that it's in the shape of a human male though it is solid black. It attacked my assistant earlier today. I will have Miss Matsuzaki make up some charms of protection for all of us. The charms may hold it at bay until we can find a way to rid the house of its presence. If you'll excuse me, I need to rejoin my team." The dark headed teen rose and walked out of the den. His footsteps echoed off the hardwood floor.

* * *

Mai and Etsu played until the six-year-old began to yawn. "Okay, Etsu, time for bed," Mai smiled as the girl pouted. "None of that now, we need to get some sleep okay."

Etsu stuck her tongue out at Mai but put on her pajama's and climbed into her full-sized bed. She patted the bed beside her. "You too, Mai,"

Mai clicked the light off and climbed into the bed, and Etsu slid over closer to the older girl and drifted off to sleep. Mai soon fell asleep.

* * *

"Noll," Lin called the younger man over to the monitors. "There's activity in Cho's room, the temperature's dropping." Naru turned up the volume as an inhuman scream came over the speaker. Banging, growling, and snarling were heard followed by the chilling sound of fingernails scraping on a wall. The noises ended and the temperature reverted to normal. "I think we may have angered it."

"Keep an eye on the family." Naru didn't have to mention to keep an eye on Mai too. Lin gave him an imperceptible nod in silent understanding. "Get some sleep everyone, and Miss Matsuzaki I need you to make some charms of protection for all of the family and us."

She sighed as she exited the room and walked with everyone else towards their rooms for the night. "Why do I always get stuck with making the charms?" she muttered.

"Because you're better at it than we are," Yasu piped up.

"You better be glad you're good at research…," she glared at him as she balled her hands into fists.

Masako bowed her head to Naru, "Naru, I'd like to apologize for earlier today."

"Apology accepted."

Masako put her hand on the knob as a certain dark haired researcher stopped her. "Masako have you given any thought to what I said earlier?"

Masako hid her face behind her kimono sleeve. "The person who loves me is you, isn't it, Yasu."

"Yes. I was afraid that you and Naru were an item until the day he announced he had moved Mai into the condominium he shares with Lin." He stroked her cheek with his forefinger.

Her heart skipped a beat at his touch.

"You deserve someone to love you. I hope you can see me as that someone. I know that I'm a practical joker." He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Know that I would slay a dragon for you if you asked Milady." He took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

"I'll remember that, good night Yasu." She smiled behind the sleeve of her kimono.

Yasu leaned in and gave her a small peck on the cheek. Masako's cheeks became bright red, and her eyes grew large at his audacity that caused her to squeal in delight. She opened the door rushed inside. Sitting on her bed, she held the cheek where he had kissed her and she smiled softly. Yasu loves me.


	3. Chapter 3

The temperature in the room changed causing Mai to stir from her slumber. She looked over at the digital clock on the small bedside table it read 2 am. She reached over to Etsu feeling the girl tremble like a spent horse. The hair on the back of Mai's neck stood up as chills prickled her skin. A black mass blocked part of the laser grid and watched her and the six-year-old.

The temperature in the room began to drop drastically. "He's here," Etsu whispered as she gripped Mai's arm so hard it hurt. Mai put herself between the girl and the spirit. She drew up her courage and promised herself nothing would hurt the child in her care. A putrid odor reached her nostrils. She gagged fighting to control her own bodily functions.

"Leave her alone," Mai screamed with the fearsomeness of a lioness protecting her cubs confronting the spirit.

"She belongs to me," it rasped as cackling laughter echoed around the room.

Mai held her hand up to use the warding magic taught her by Ayako and made the first motion of the nine cuts, "Rin." Before she could move to the next hand movement or the second word of power, an icy cold hand gripped her ankle. Shivers ran up her body as she pleaded into the camera, "Help…"

It yanked hard and Mai gasped crying out in pain as invisible hands pushed her back on the bed. She felt the icy hand move up her body as she felt its black hunger. She gasped and gagged as the hand gripped her throat. She struggled to suck in air as her windpipe began to close cutting off life-giving air her face turning purple. She started to black out when the door flew open and she heard a loud whistle. Five white lights flew around the room, each one passing through the dark figure causing it to howl out in pain. It released its hold on Mai's throat and disappeared. She coughed hard a couple of times as she greedily sucked in air. "Lin," she managed to whisper as she passed out.

Lin's gunmetal gray eyes looked on the prone form in quiet concern. He heard a rustle of blankets as Etsu moved closer to the teen. "Are you unharmed?"

Etsu knew the Chinese man was tall. She was awed as she ogled the man she thought was a giant. "Yes. What about Mai," the girl sniffed. "She saved me."

Lin checked Mai's pulse, "She just passed out." He hoped the girl was reassured. He lifted Mai's small frame in his arms as he talked to Etsu. "Come with me, you both can sleep in the library."

Etsu giggled, "You mean like having a campout?"

"Yes," Lin gave the child a slight grin. "Now come along."

Etsu hurried behind the tall man carrying her friend. "Can I be your friend too?" she asked.

"Yes, you may." Lin sighed, how do I get myself into these things. Naru, you are going to owe me big time.

He lay Mai down on the velvet couch and placed a matching crushed velvet pillow under her head, she still had not regained consciousness, an uneasy feeling gnawed at the back of his mind. He drew out his cell phone and dialed Naru's number first.

"Lin?" a groggy teen answered the phone.

"Naru, there's some footage that you need to watch, and I have Etsu and Mai in the library."

"On my way," Naru replied.

The connection was cut on Naru's end. Lin dialed the second number and heard a sleepy woman on the other end.

"You better be in need of medical care to call me at this hour, Lin."

"You need to come to the base and check on Mai, she was attacked again, Miss Matsuzaki."

He pulled the phone away from his ear to keep his hearing intact. "Mai, how bad is she?" He also heard a couple of other female voices in the background. He wished for once the auburn haired woman wasn't so excitable.

"Just get down here to the base." He ended the call.

* * *

Mai awakened to find herself on a dark plane surrounded by little balls of light. "One of these dreams, again." She stood and walked in the direction of where the house sat. She froze in her tracks as a heavy hand rested on her shoulder. She spun around and came face to face with Naru's dead twin brother. "Gene," she embraced him in a hug.

He returned the hug then pushed her away gently to look on her face. "Mai, this place is dangerous and I know my idiot scientist of a brother would hate to have anything happen to you."

"You know every place we go seems to be dangerous in one way or another. Do you have anything you wanted to show me?"

Gene took her by the hand and led her to the carriage house. She saw a young man around her age walking down the street. He looked at a note in his hand when he began to cross the street.

Mai came to the realization she was watching a memory. His clothing was from the beginning of the twentieth century.

One moment Mai stood next to Gene the next, she looked up as horses' hooves pound on the ground and their screams of panic reach her ears. They bore down on her, she had no time to move out of the way, and the team of runaway horses pulling a wagon ran over her.

Her head erupted in blinding white pain, as she found herself by Gene's side again. "I'm sorry you had to experience that," regret tinged the young man's voice. .

A young woman in a maid's uniform ran from the main house, "Shinji" she screamed.

Mai looked up at Gene, "Who is she?"

"She's his fiancée. They were to be married. That accident took his life. She was never the same afterward."

"That's so sad."

Gene hugged Mai. "It's time for you to wake, Noll is worried. Tell him to be careful, this case isn't all it seems to be."

Gene leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of Mai's head. Her spiritual body reentered her physical body as she heard voices. She fought to open her eyes. Her strength failed her. Her level of consciousness faded as she slipped further into a comatose state.

* * *

"Why isn't she waking up?"

"I don't know, but I'm worried. Her temperature is rising. Lin, I need a bowl of cold water and put some ice in it. I have to get her fever down." Ayako frowned at the complexion of the teenager's skin. It was pale with an ashy tinge to it. A metallic smell reached Ayako's nostrils as a hint of red made its presence known in Mai's hair.

Lin returned with the bowl of ice water and a rag. Ayako quickly wet the cloth and rubbed it over the girl's face and neck and all exposed extremities. She rewet the cloth and left it lying on the teen's forehead. "Lin you said she was strangled in Etsu's room. Did her head hit anything that could cause a cut in her hairline?"

"No, she did not."

Naru looked over the priestess' shoulder to see what she was looking at. He crossed his arms over his chest and grabbed his chin. "I wonder if she had another one of her dreams. Could something in the dream have affected her physical body?"

"It's possible, Mai's been unconscious for a long time, and she's going to have one heck of a headache." Ayako reached into her bag, plucked out some gauze, and shoved her bag towards Lin. "Get her some aspirin and a glass of water. She'll need it when she wakes." She held the gauze to the wound while applying pressure. In a matter of minutes, the bleeding stopped. "Good, she doesn't need stitches."

Ayako sat back on her heels as the teen groaned and her eyelids fluttered open. Several anxious faces came into view as she looked up. She tried to raise her head then, with a groan let it fall back on the pillow. "Hi," she muttered then groaned again as her head pounded.

Lin handed the brown haired girl the pair of aspirin and glass of water.

Mai smiled gratefully at the older man as she took the pills and he wrapped an arm around her and raised her up enough so she was able to wash them down with the water. Lin eased her back down on the couch.

"Good, her fever is coming down."

Naru helped her sit up enough and he removed the pillow so he could sit down and pulled her head into his lap. "Naru…"

"Shhh, it's alright Mai." He stroked her silky hair.

"Naru, I had a dream, well two actually." She related the dream she had in the office on Friday. She sniffed feeling tears trying to fall. "The man that Haruko saw worked for a family who owned this house around the early 1900's. He wasn't paying attention to what was going on around him." A glazed look of despair began to spread over Mai's face as tears ran down her cheeks. "He was killed by a runaway wagon hauled by two horses. His first name was Shinji."

"Anything else," Naru asked gently as he ran a hand through Mai's hair. He felt her nod yes.

"Gene says to be careful, that this case isn't all it seems to be."

Ayako pulled the younger girl into a hug. "I was so worried."

"I'm fine, Ayako, really I am."

Etsu smiled at Mai from the other end of the couch. "Mai was really brave. She saved me from the black man."

Ayako looked at Etsu and then Mai, "Black man?"

"The same ghost from earlier in the kitchen," Naru replied since his girlfriend was starting to drift off to sleep again. "Lin, Ayako, both of can go get some rest. I'll stay here with Mai and Etsu."

"Are you sure that's wise Naru?" Lin asked the teen.

"It may not be wise but your human too Lin."

Lin shocked Ayako when the usually silent man actually chuckled at the comment. The pair walked out of the room, not before Lin mentally sent two of his Shiki to stay and protect Mai, Naru, and Etsu. He smirked as he snapped a secret picture with his cell of Naru showing his softer side. Madoka would never believe me if I didn't have evidence.

* * *

Monday, April 24th 6:00 am

Etsu pushed on Naru's arm jolting him awake. She smiled up at him, "Momma says breakfast is ready and you and Mai should come and eat."

"Thank you, Etsu. We'll be down in a few."

"Okay," she ran out of the room.

Naru gently shook her shoulder. "Mai, it's time to wake up."

"Ugh…" Mai groaned as she sat up and stretched. "I feel like I've been run over by a herd of horses."

He chuckled slightly as he planted a kiss on her lips. "Izanami says it's time for breakfast, and we need to join the family."

She stood up as her stomach rumbled.

He smirked at her as he took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers. The pair strode to the dining room.

At breakfast, he told the family they should go about their day as normal while SPR continued their investigation of the Shiga home.

They strolled into the library though everyone had made a fuss earlier about the bruises on Mai's neck. "I'm fine," she sighed and repeated again, for what felt like the fortieth time.

"Miss Matsuzaki when you're finished with the charms, I want you and Miss Hara to sweep the house again and see if either of you can sense anything. John, you and Monk, go with them, and if they find something out of the ordinary, I would like you to exorcise it. I want to end this case as soon as possible," Naru said.

"No rest for the wicked," the priestess muttered under her breath.

The foursome left the base.

"Jessica, could you take these to the Shiga's and express the need to keep the charms with them at all times."

"Sure, no problem, Naru," she picked up the papers and exited the room.

Yasu gave a whoop of triumph and rushed from the stacks of books over to where Naru and Mai were sitting at the table. Lin looked over at the college student. Yasu's glasses sparked with the same excitement he felt. "I found it, the guy from Mai's dream. His name was Shinji Shimada and he was born in 1886 and died in 1903 by a runaway wagon. Official coroner's report is that he was killed instantly when one of the horses kicked him in the head.

"His fiancée was a maid who worked for the family. She continued to work for the family but quit a year later on the anniversary of Shinji's death. According to the head of the Yamada family, she committed suicide by hanging herself in her apartment."

"That doesn't explain the boy that the Twins have seen," Naru replied.

Yasu smiled as he held up a finger. "I think I just found out who the ghost of the boy is. According to this, his name was Arai Yamada. He was born in 1920, but Mr. Yamada felt he must have angered the gods since his youngest child was born blind. In 1929, Arai was found at the bottom of the stairs with a broken neck. People speculated that an older jealous sibling murdered the boy, but no one was ever charged."

Mai felt her skin prickle. Her intuition was screaming at her to turn around when she did, she saw the boy standing in the doorway. "Miss, where's my family, can you help me?"

"Yasu," she asked looking at her sometimes-crazy friend. "Does it say what happened to the Yamada's?"

"Yeah, seems the Yamada family was loaded until the Great Depression, which started with the Wall Street Stock Market Crash of 1929 in the United States. He made business deals, which seemed strong on paper but by 1931, they had lost most of their fortune. He was forced to sell the house and move. That is the last entry in the journal. Maybe Lin can look up the family on the internet."

"I have sent an email off to Madoka to see if she can find out any more information on the Yamada's."

Mai looked back towards the doorway, and the boy was gone. However, she could not shake the feeling that she was being watched.

Naru wanted some of Mai's tea and Jessica had just returned from her assignment. "Jessica, would you go with Mai to the kitchen?"

Mai stood up and put her hands on her hips, "I'm perfectly capable of making tea by myself."

Naru put his arms around her waist, drew her to him, and held her tight. "I know you are, but if this spirit attacks you again while you're alone, I'll never forgive myself."

Mai blushed and a smile tugged at the corner of Naru's lips at her reaction. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek as he released her.

Mai and Jessica sauntered down the hallway to the kitchen. Jessica's phone rang pulling it out of her jeans pocket she glanced down at the caller ID. "It's Ryosuke," she flipped the phone up as she answered. "Hey lover, what's going on?"

She listened to his deep voice on the other end of the phone. "I miss you too, but Naru wants to get this case over as soon as possible. So I might be home before the end of the week."

"Don't worry about me, just worry about Keisuke, Takami, and Project D. See ya when I get home."

She disconnected the call as they arrived in the kitchen. Jessica took a seat at the island.

Mai could not shake the feeling of being watched. As she waited for the water to boil, she thought she heard someone call her name. "Huh?" she looked over at Jessica. "Did you call me?"

"No, I didn't but I feel like we're being watched."

"Yeah, I've had that feeling since yesterday."

The kettle whistled and she stood to move over to the stove when a chill ran up her spine. A crystal vase that one of the maids had left sitting on a counter levitated in the air flew crashing into the cabinet near Mai and exploded sending pieces of glass flying at the girl.

"Leave her alone," Jessica yelled.

They both heard an angry scream as a shiki that Lin sent to protect the younger girl made its presence known and assaulted the unseen force.

Jessica gave the younger girl a quick once over. "Let's get this tea made and get back to base. I feel safer there."

Mai nodded as tears formed in her eyes. Holding back the tears that threatened to fall she silently fixed the tea, feeling distant. The attacks were becoming a strain making her wonder, Why me?

* * *

Little by little, the uneasiness Mai felt spread to the other members of SPR. Each investigator had an experience. Monk was smacked in the face, Ayako tripped, Yasu pinched, Lin poked, Masako was bitten, John was flipped over a couch, more objects were thrown at Mai, Jessica choked, and Naru was pushed.

Mai fell asleep with her head in Naru's lap. "Does anyone have any more information about these spirits? Any ideas on why this black spirit is targeting the family?"

Masako nodded, "I sensed two little girls around the stairs, they appear to be twins. They are blonde so I guess their either European or American, and there is a maid or possibly their nanny with them. The girls mean no harm. They are just playful. However, the black spirit is elusive. Every time I try to get a reading, it disappears and hides from me. It's almost as if it's playing a game of hide and seek."

Jessica looked up, "I didn't want to mention this before in front of Mai, but I felt it in the kitchen. It's so full of anger and hate."

"Yasu, search for the identity of the girls and the nanny."

"What are you thinking, Naru? Monk looked at Oliver intently.

"I believe we should try a cleansing. The wildcard is this black spirit."

The rest of the day progressed dully for the SPR team and the Shiga family. Everyone felt as if it was the calm before the storm.


	4. Chapter 4

Mai's nerves were on edge, they tingled as if a thunderstorm were brewing on the horizon. She looked around trying to find the predator that kept boring holes into her back, but no one was there. She kept jumping at the smallest things.

She shed her clothes and tugged on her oversized T-shirt that she wore to bed. Her muscles were tense. She could hear Naru change into his baby blue pajamas.

Naru's bare feet padded across the throw rug and he sat down next to her. He pulled her face around so he could look her in the eye and quickly read the worry as her jaws clenched with tension. "Mai, you need to loosen up or you'll never get any sleep," he chided as he knelt behind her on the bed. Positioning his hands on her shoulders, he kneaded the muscles to release her tension. "Take your shirt off. I need to get to the muscles directly."

Mai's face flushed bright red as she removed the T-shirt and held it tight to her chest. She jumped as she felt Naru's deft fingers return to kneading the muscles under her skin.

His fingers probed the knots of her muscles working each one out. The smell of her shampoo invaded his nostrils, the delicate scent of vanilla and coconut and the scent of her skin were intoxicating. His fingers moved up to the nape of her neck. He smirked as she moaned from his ministrations. Her head lolled forward.

He let his fingers slide up and down her back feeling all the tension leaving. Naru gripped her shoulders and leaned forward placing a soft kiss on her neck.

Mai leaned back into his chest and turned her head towards his. He leaned down and placed a tender kiss to her lips. "Let's get some sleep now," he murmured into her ear. His breath tickled her ear, waves of delightful shivers ran down her spine, and her stomach tingled as if butterflies fluttered inside.

She heaved the T-shirt over her head and slipped under the covers. She heard a rustle of blankets as he lay down next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist possessively. A smile lit her face as both teens drifted off to sleep.

She woke to a scratching sound coming from the closet. Opening her blurry eyes, she waited as her vision adjusted to the dark. The darkness of the room felt so heavy as the closet door slammed open with a bang. Her body jumped as she tried to keep her breathing steady to calm her nerves. This can't be happening again.

The floor creaked and popped as sounds of shuffling footsteps reached her ears. Mai felt a hand touch her back, at first, she thought it was Naru until she felt the pain of a hard punch in her back brought tears to her eyes.

Mai cried out in pain as it hit her a second time, followed by a third time. A bright spot flew through the air and she realized it was Lin's shiki. It stopped and seemed to be checking to make sure she was okay, and then it looked as though it were apologizing for being late to drive the force away. Tears dripped from the corners of her eyes. "I'm okay," she whispered.

"Naru?" she called, but he didn't flinch or stir. Mai shook him but he lay still. The spirit must have put him in a deeper phase of sleep than normal. To say this was troubling was an understatement. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table the digital numbers read 5:30 am. She sighed knowing she wouldn't get any more sleep.

Climbing out of bed, she gathered her clothes and entered the bathroom. Stripping down to bare skin, she climbed into the shower. Turning the water on, Mai held her face in her hands as her body shook with silent sobs. Her tears mixed with the water and down the drain.

* * *

Tuesday, April 25th 6:00 am

Naru woke to the sound of the shower running. He rose and padding over in his bare feet to his suitcase he grabbed his clothes for the day, which consisted of one of his black dress shirts, black pants, and black suit jacket. Looking at the mirror on the dresser, he noticed Gene had replaced his reflection.

Stepping over he concentrated on what his brother was trying to tell him. "Noll, Mai is now a target. It likes her fear. Ask her what happened last night." His brother's image flickered and diminished replaced by his own reflection.

Naru frowned. Gene had made an effort to contact him instead of Mai. Had his twin already warned her? If he had, was she hiding this from him to keep him from worrying?

Mai exited the bathroom with T-shirt in hand and stood dressed in a sky blue crocheted tank top and white capris with a pair of sky-blue flats on. "Mai, wait here until after I've had a shower and changed."

* * *

In the library, Jessica stumbled across a diary quite literally. This wasn't here a few minutes ago. Wonder where it came from.

What she could not see in the corner was Gene standing there watching her. It didn't hurt to help his brother's team.

Jessica picked it up and found it belonged to the Goode family. She sat down on the beige couch and began to read. A smile lit her face, as her eyes grew big in excitement. Naru has to hear this. She ran out of the library.

* * *

"Mai, we need to talk," Naru sat down on the bed as he drew her down on the bed beside him. "Gene paid me a visit earlier. He said that you have become a target now, did you know?" His eyes studied her face for any signs of deception.

Mai's eyes grew, "So that's why I was attacked last night."

"How many times do I have to tell you to tell me when things like this happen?" He ran his hand through his hair.

Mai's face flushed, "I swear, I tried to wake you, but you were sleeping so soundly you wouldn't stir."

. "From now on you go nowhere in this house without someone with you. Not even to use the bathroom."

Mai sighed and flopped backward on the bed. "How did I know you were going to say that?"

Naru smirked as he leaned over her, "because you're such a magnet."

Mai raised a small fist up and lightly punched him in the chest. "You don't have to be such a jerk."

Mai's childish behavior brought burning desire to the forefront of his emotions. Naru placed an arm around her waist as she felt his warm breath on her face. He lowered his face kissing her with a passion that was white hot with need. A fire kindled inside him and warred with his respect for her wishes.

She released a moan of pleasure as he left little butterfly kisses on her neck and throat. His fingers moved up under her shirt. She moaned as she grabbed his wrist, stopping the forward movement of his hand. "Naru…"

An urgent pounding sounded on the door. "I hate interruptions." Naru sighed as he rose pulling Mai up with him.

Mai smoothed out her hair with her fingers while he opened the door.

"Naru, I found it," Jessica announced as euphoria spread its warmth through her body. "The Nakamura family sold the house to the Goode family. They were originally from Ireland, who moved to Japan in 1955. A year before the sale the Nakamura's only child Suki died in a fire in 1954.

"The Goode's had two twin daughters named Hannah and Heidi born in 1960. They hired a nanny in 1962 named Sarah Raymond to take care of the girls. In 1966, the nanny bundled up the girls on a snow covered winter's day. A speeding car hit a patch of black ice, lost control, and struck all three. The girls died instantly, and the nanny passed away in the hospital several hours later of her injuries. After the death of their only children, they turned the house over to the government who let it sit and rot until the Shiga's bought it."

"Great, now we can proceed with a cleansing."

* * *

The trio strolled to the library, as they entered Naru spoke confidently to his assembled team. "We'll cleanse the house to rid the Shiga's of the spirits tonight."

Lin swiveled his chair towards the teen. "Naru, camera four has stopped working. I personally changed the battery pack last night."

He looked towards Mai but changed his mind. "Takigawa, John, go and replace the battery."

Both men nodded and the monk grabbed another battery. Leaving the safety of the library, they climbed the stairs. As they neared the camera, the temperature in the hallway began to drop. John glanced around looking for the source of the cold spot while Monk replaced the battery on the camera.

A door opened and a foul odor assaulted both men's noses as the black shadow stood in the room. It vanished but left an ominous message scrawled on the wall that read— They belong to me. You can't save them.

Monk pulled out his cell from his jean pocket and snapped off a couple of pictures of the wall.

As Monk and John returned to base, "Naru you need to see this." He passed his phone over to the teenage genius, who examined the message. Naru sat in a chair as he folded his arms across his chest and crossed his legs as he held his chin with one of his hands. The other members of SPR called it his classic thinking pose.

"This evening I want John to bless the house." John gave a slight nod in Naru's direction. "However, if John's blessing does not work we'll try a Native American blessing."

Jessica nodded in understanding.

Mai tried desperately to think of something else, but the tingling in her chest and the ache in the back of her throat made it difficult for her to swallow. She tried to focus her thoughts towards tonight's activities but this irrational feeling of fear began to take over. Dizziness overwhelmed her as she hyperventilated and her eyes rolled up in her head. Collapsing she thought, she heard several people yell her name, but the sound of marching boots made it hard to focus on any single thing.

As she collapsed, John caught the girl in question.

Though the situation caught him off guard, the person who caught his Mai was a sworn servant of God. Naru clenched his teeth as a pinched expression graced his face. He actually found himself wishing harm upon the blond Aussie.

Monk upon seeing the expression of the young man took Mai from the priest. He whispered, "Get ready for the blessing John. We'll take care of her."

John gratefully thanked him and raced out of the room.

Ayako examined the girl quickly. "She's okay. I believe she suffered an anxiety attack."

Naru's shoulders slumped as he crumpled into a chair by the couch where his girl lay helpless. A blank look crossed his face as he muttered, "How could I let this happen?"

He felt a pressure on his shoulder and was surprised to find Masako offering support. "It's not your fault, Naru. This dark entity is to blame. She needs you to be strong for her."

Naru closed his eyes and his resolve grew as his frosty demeanor slid back into place. "You're right Miss Hara, Thank you."

* * *

Mai woke later to find the rest of the team forcing her to rest until time for the blessing. She was bored, so bored.

Naru had even threatened to tie her down to the couch if she didn't stay put. Geez, who does he think he is… Well, he is my boss, and I do love him.

Thunder rolled a springtime storm raged in the distance. Mai knew it was silly, but she was terrified of storms. She jumped as she heard the thunder and tried to calm herself by imagining angels bowling in the clouds.

At 5:00 pm John, the SPR group, and the Shiga family walked from room to room as John read the Lord's Prayer from his bible and sprinkled holy water as they went. "We ask that all the lost souls connected to this structure cross over to the light and be with the families who love you."

Masako looked to John. "I can feel Arai, he is afraid that he'll not see his parents again."

John smiled in the direction Masako pointed. "Arai, your family is waiting for you to join them."

Lin whispered in Masako's ear and she nodded. "Arai, your parents are waiting for you. Trust me. I'm not lying to you."

The boy became visible as he was bathed in a soft golden light. He faded from sight, and Masako's serene smile was planted on her face. "He's moved on."

A soft childish voice faintly reached everyone's ears as if blown by a breeze, "Thank You."

The cleansing progressed. The large group entered the family room. John surveyed the group with a pleased expression as he calmly announced. "The cleansing is finished."

"Are they gone?" Shino asked as he looked around at the people from SPR.

"Yes, I felt them all leave," Masako's eyes danced as she smiled from behind her kimono sleeve.

Mai felt that annoying cold chill as she rubbed her arms. "Naru…" she reached out gripping his arm. "It's here."

Masako nodded in the affirmative as she backed into a wall.

The room grew cold as the temperature dropped. Lights began to blink on and off throughout the house. Rapping and banging started on the walls. Maniacal laughter floated to their ears. The wind blew through the room. Over the din, chanting sounded as if monks were conducting a black mass.

John's voice rose in volume over the din "Saint Michael the Archangel protect us…" He was tossed across the room like a rag doll. His body slammed into a wall and all heard a painful crack as his head hit the wall knocking him unconscious.

"John," Ayako shouted as she went to check on the downed priest.

The Shiga girls both screamed as they ran to their brothers seeking protection from the angry spirit. Izanami looked down at her arms as invisible hands grabbed her. She gasped as indentations formed on her wrists from the invisible fingers that held her. Her body flew across the room and the spirit cackled. "You can't save them, feeble humans…"

Haruko, Toshi, and their sisters screamed as scratches appeared on the exposed areas of their extremities and faces. Haruko had scratches some deep on his back, Toshi yelped gasped and doubled over as a burning pain flashed across his chest.

"Stop it. Stop hurting my children you gutless bastard." Shino balled his fists in his fury. His head flew back, blood sprayed from his nose, and mouth as if Muhammad Ali punched him. His knees buckled as his body sagged to the ground as he held his nose trying to staunch the flow of blood.

Books, game controllers, and a vase elevated in the air and flew about as if they had a life of their own. A book slammed Lin in the back. The game controllers flew at Naru and Mai. He gathered her into his strong protective arms and ducked for cover behind a couch. He felt the thunderous beat of her heart against his chest as he protected her with his body.

The vase flew on a trajectory for Takigawa's head, but he managed to duck at the last minute. It smashed into a wall next to Yasu and Masako. Yasu captured Masako's body in his arms as it shattered into a million pieces and showered the researcher with glass shards.

As he released his hold on her, the medium gasped. "Yasu, you're bleeding."

He scratched the back of his head. "I'd gladly trade my safety for you any day," he smiled gently.

Jessica chanted a prayer taught to her by her grandfather who was a shaman of the tribe of her Native American Ancestry. "Oh, Great Spirit, who made all races look upon this family and protect them from evil." She repeated it several times, as she lit a bundle of sage that she had yanked from her jacket pocket. She let the smoke waft over the Shiga family.

At the same time, monk pulled his prayer beads from out of his jeans pocket. He shook them around the room as he began to say a mantra. "On hababa kiuta sabataruma sabasaba kitsudo kan." The entity screamed in pain. The scream reverberated around the room as the words of power from both Jessica and monk sent it fleeing.

The chaos died down, "I suggest for everyone's protection that we all spend the night in the library where we can keep an eye on each other," Naru suggested as he and Mai came up from behind the couch.

Everyone agreed. Lin and Monk carried John to the base.

"I'm all right," Izanami insisted. "I'm just worried about my children." She wrung her hands together as if she were washing them. She stood behind Ayako.

Ayako wiped the sweat from her brow as she finished treating Haruko's wounds. She eyed the worried mother standing behind her. "Don't worry. They're going to be fine none of them have any significant injuries that would require stitches or hospitalization. However, your husband is going to look like a raccoon dog for a couple of weeks. He received a broken nose."

Izanami bowed to the priestess. "Thank you so much for helping us. I'm sorry that your Father Brown was injured." She abruptly stood ramrod straight a weird look crossed her face. She remained in that position for several minutes.

Ayako frowned at the abnormal behavior, as the other woman's expression returned to normal once again. The priestess made a mental note to mention it to Naru later.

Izanami sent her children off to grab some Futons from the storeroom. Shino accompanied them. He began as a skeptic to the supernatural but now all he could say was that he was a firm believer.

Mai and Jessica carried Cho and Etsu to a corner of the library to stay out of everyone else's way. The girls were awed by Jessica, who entertained them with stories of growing up as a Marine brat.

Bookcases were repositioned to make room, as futons were set up. John woke with a splitting headache.

Ayako stayed up with John to keep an eye on him in the case of a concussion. "Naru," Ayako called out to the dark haired teen to get his attention. He knelt down in front of the Shinto Priestess and Catholic Priest. "I wanted to let you know that something weird is going on with Izanami. She seemed to freeze earlier while I was tending to her children. It was like she was a different person."

Yasuhara and Masako surprised everyone when they made a makeshift room behind a bookcase.

The thunder that loomed in the distance moved closer. A loud crash sounded making the windows rattle and house shake. Mai squeaked and jumped as rain lashed the windows. She ultimately surrendered to sleep with Naru's arms wrapped around her holding her possessively as he whispered in her ear as he stroked her hair.

* * *

Mai awoke to find herself on the astral plane surrounded by inky blackness. She saw a light coming near and smiled as she recognized Gene.

"Gene," she called out to him.

Gene smiled as he hugged her to him. Holding someone, anyone is what he regretted most about being dead. Just this simple contact almost made him feel alive again. "Mai, I found the identity of this evil spirit."

"Really who is it?"

"Come," he said simply as he took her by her hand and led her to an area. The image began to waver as if intense heat waves rose from an asphalt roadway.

Mai found herself looking out of the eyes of Seiichi Tanaka. She felt his anger and rage compounded by an irrational hate. She heard a voice whispering to Seiichi. "She betrayed you." His feelings were directed at the picture in the newspapers socialite page. His voice was gruff as he crumpled the paper in his hands.

"How could you betray me Izanami and marry him. Shino was my best friend until we met you. I loved you and how did you repay me? You dumped me like a rock for my rival and married him." His words sounded crazy to Mai's ears.

He couldn't take it anymore. Twenty years he waited, waited for her to come back to him on her own. Mai heard what sounded like muffled laughter in the background. It was like another person was inhabiting Seiichi's body.

He put together his altar and drew a pentagram on the floor. He would get her back one way or another. A sinister smile marred his good looks as he lit the candles on his altar. Izanami and her children would be his.

He took the hitogata he had fashioned for them and placed them in a bowl on the altar. Picking up his ceremonial knife, he sliced his hand allowing his blood to drop on the stand-ins of Izanami and her children.

He recited the incantation to bind their spirits to his. A shadow appeared in his pentagram. "Go and do my bidding."

"No."

"Why do you refuse your master?" the crazed man bellowed.

"This spell requires a sacrifice."

"I don't have one," fear raced through his veins and leaked from his pores.

"Then you will be the sacrifice, and what you wish for will be mine." The shadow's dark maw opened in a creepy grin.

Mai felt her astral form wrenched from Seiichi's body and felt Gene's arms holding her. She buried her head in the twins' chest as the man howled in pain, followed by shrieks and sounds of what sounded like fabric ripping. The metallic smell of blood reached her nose. She heard his blood make a splat sound as it splashed on the walls and floor with every shriek that rose to an inhuman volume.

"You need to look to see what will be the fate of Izanami and her children if this creature of hell wins."

Tears filled her eyes as, "Please, I don't want to see."

"You must, Mai. You have to impress on Naru how serious this is. In killing Seiichi, it now has his obsession for Izanami and her children. It will destroy them all."

She nodded as she spun on her heels to see the body of Seiichi torn and mangled. His skin shredded like paper from every inch of his body. His arms and legs were practically ripped from their sockets and his intestines were strung out of his body and wrapped around his neck like a rope. Blood was splashed everywhere as if thrown from a bucket. She gasped as the soon to be corpse reached out towards her as if he could see her.

Tears flowed down her cheeks as Seiichi stopped moving, his final gasp rattled out of his chest. She fought to regain control of her emotions as the image faded and she looked up into Gene's face. "Is this a case of black magic that went wrong?"

"In a sense, yes," Gene replied. "You need to wake up and give my brother this information." He frowned for a moment, "I'm sorry I had to make you see that Mai."

She nodded as she felt his kiss on the top of her head and the astral plane faded.


	5. Chapter 5

Mai woke to the sounds of snoring and two mischievous girls giggling as they snuck around the room stopping by monk's pallet on the floor and filling his hand with some shaving cream. "Etsu," she heard Cho whisper. "This is what you do at a sleepover with friends. The first one to fall asleep is the first one to get the shaving cream. And when he wakes up he'll smear it all over his face."

Etsu giggled trying to be quiet.

What neither girl noticed was the one eye of the sleeping monk was slightly opened and watching the pair. Ever since the first case with SPR he had become a light sleeper to keep his ears open for when Mai had a disturbing dream.

He reached out, grabbed Cho by the arm, "You mean like this?" and sat up smashing the shaving cream in his hand in her face.

She screamed, Etsu squealed, and others groaned.

"What the hell is going on?" Shino bellowed. Apparently he could turn into a bear when woke from a sound sleep.

"Just paying your daughter back for trying the shaving cream in the hand trick and teaching it to Etsu," Monk chuckled as he released the older girl.

"Cho, I thought I taught you better, and now you're trying to corrupt your little sister." Izanami couldn't help but laugh at the face of her oldest daughter now covered in shaving cream. "I guess it's better than toothpaste."

"Don't give her any more ideas mom," Haruko teased. "She's got a prank streak a mile wide."

"What was that I heard about pranks?" Yasuhara peeked around the corner of his little makeshift private room he was sharing with Masako.

Everyone heard the medium's whimsical voice. "No pranks" and a tiny arm reached out from behind him and yanked him back behind the makeshift wall.

"Looks like Yasu and Masako are getting along," Ayako smiled with a devious gleam in her brown eyes.

Takigawa chuckled as he eyed another couple in a quiet conversation. "Same can be said for Naru and Mai."

"Naru, I had another dream last night," Mai glanced down as she fought to keep the images at the back of her mind of the man who had brought this on the Shiga family. Her body shuddered as she trembled.

He drew her over and placed her petite body into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, and gently held her tight as her head rested on his chest.

"Lin," as if the older man had read, the younger man's mind, he brought his laptop over to the pair getting ready to type down everything the seventeen-year-old girl had to tell them. He nodded, letting the couple know he was prepared.

"Last night Gene pulled me into the astral plane. He said he knew who was at the core of the black shadow. The man's name was Seiichi Tanaka, and he and Izanami had a relationship. He was angry and seemed crazy with hate saying that Izanami had dumped him years ago and married Shino.

"He read an article on the society page of the newspaper that set him off. It was about how influential the Shiga's were, and what was expected of their four children. He performed some kind of ritual, which brought the shadow into our world, and he told it to get Izanami and her children. It said no, and that it needed a sacrifice." She sniffed trying hard to fight back the tears that were coming. "It ripped Seiichi to shreds, but Gene wanted me to see it so I could tell you, Naru, how dangerous this thing really is." Mai couldn't hold back the tears anymore and cried as she clung to his shirt for dear life.

Naru held her tightly as he rocked her back and forth like a mother would do to her infant to calm its crying. "Lin what do think it is?" the younger man asked.

"It's a demon that's become obsessed because of the spell that was cast."

"Agreed," Naru's eyes narrowed. "… and now it's after Mai too." He ground his teeth and he clenched his jaw. His throat was trying to close up as the tightness in his chest increased. He would not lose no matter what it took to eradicate the demon from this house. He took a deep breath as he took a quick glance around the room as people began to move about getting ready for the day's investigation. "Father Brown, I need your opinion for a moment."

"Sure, Kazuya," the blond Aussie moved over to where Naru sat holding Mai.

"Please read what Lin recorded about Mai's dream and tell me what you think."

John sat down next to the Chinese man and read what was on the laptop screen. His eyes grew to the size of saucers. Comprehension as to what he read sunk in as he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes for a couple of seconds. He opened them and felt a headache coming on as he looked into the younger man's eyes. "It's a demon," as he crossed himself.

"That's the conclusion we came to also. We'll need to perform an exorcism on the house to get rid of it."

John nodded as he sat back forming his hands into a steeple, almost as if he were praying. He instantly went through a mental checklist of everything he would need. "I'll need help. I'll call Father Tojo to see if he can assist."

Naru's blood pulsed at his temples as he nodded towards the priest. Another headache was coming on as he plunged into deep contemplation. "Yasuhara," he summoned in a commanding tone.

"Yeah, boss?"

"Go to the local library and look for anything that pertains to a Seiichi Tanaka."

"No problem, boss." He scratched the back of his head. "Would you mind if I took Masako with me?"

"That's fine. Just make sure you find that information."

Mai glanced up at Naru as she drew in a slow breath and her face flushed. "You don't believe me."

"I do believe you. You've never steered us wrong during a case. I just need to confirm it."

Mai reached up, brushed his bangs away from his eyes, and smiled up at him. Her heartbeat quickened as a blush flushed her cheeks.

"Now let's get down to business shall we?"

She smiled and jumped up too fast and wobbled as dots danced before her eyes. Naru reached out to steady her and in a raspy voice, he whispered into her ear, "stop getting up so fast, dummy."

"Naru," she clenched her jaw as she clenched her fists, and her flushed face took on a darker shade.

Naru leaned in and kissed her on her nose. Mai squeaked and blushed forgetting she was angry with him.

John returned. "Father Tojo will be here later today. He has to get one of the junior priests at his parish to take over his duties for the day."

* * *

Yasuhara and Masako returned several hours later. His usual healthy complexion had a sickly green tinge. "I have the information you wanted, boss." He yanked some papers from his backpack as he shook his head and swallowed hard. "Seiichi Tanaka was found dead in his apartment last year by a neighbor who noticed a foul stench coming from it. According to the coroner's report, the man's skin was flayed and shredded from his body, with the muscle tissue still connected to his bones. How no one had heard the screams, the man must have made not even the police could solve it. It also says one end of his intestines were pulled from his body and used as a garrote since part of it was wrapped around his neck." He wished he could be somewhere else instead of here as he fought the urge to go throw up.

Masako didn't look much better either, as she passed over pictures that they were given. "We had to pay the coroner a visit. He was helpful when he learned that I was working the case associated with this murder."

Mai caught a glance of the pictures, brought the images she fought from coming to the forefront again. She gagged and ran out of the room and down the hallway to the restroom on the first floor. Lifting the seat up, she managed to make it in time as her breakfast came up refusing to stay in her stomach any longer. As her body ejected the food, she felt a hand pull her hair back from her face and another hand rub her back.

Finished Mai flushed the toilet and wiped any spittle from her mouth with the back of her hand as she twisted the knob on the basin and turned on the water, washing her face, hands, and rinsing out her mouth.

"Feeling better, now?" The familiar voice stated as she crooked her head to find John had followed her.

"Yes, thank you, John."

He smiled down at her, and she smiled in return as the pair strode back towards the library. They saw Naru walking towards them at a fast pace. Worry was clearly plastered on his face. However, before they could reach each other wild growling reached their ears as if it came from a rabid dog.

Naru groaned in pain as invisible jaws clamped down on his ankle. He reached out trying to grab ahold of anything to stop him from being drug down the hallway.

"Naru…" Mai screamed as John ran after him shouting a prayer to Saint Michael and sprayed holy water on Naru. The jaws released him.

Naru tried to stand but found to his wounded pride that he couldn't because of his injured ankle. "Dammit," he muttered. How would he be able to protect Mai if he couldn't even stand on his own two feet?

Mai and John both came to his side. She lifted the pants leg to see the sock torn and the ankle bleeding. "We need to get you back to base."

John reached down and shouldered much of Naru's weight as Mai drew his other arm around her shoulder. His heart thudded dully in his chest as he tried to wave them off. He acquiesced as Mai shot him a look of both anger and sorrow.

Arriving at the base, they moved Naru over to the couch. Mai took his shoe off as carefully as she could to try to avoid causing him extra pain but she still caught the wince he tried to hide.

Without saying a word to anyone, Ayako appeared next to Mai. "What happened?"

"We couldn't see it but it sounded like a rabid dog grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him down the hallway. John was able to get it to release him." Mai's hands trembled as her mouth went dry reliving the fear of losing him. Her eyes glazed with tears as she fought an internal war to keep from crying at a time like this.

Ayako cut the sock off, examined the wound, and prodded the ankle extensively. "Good news, nothing is broken that I can tell. The bad news is you have a bad sprain." Reaching into her medical bag, she withdrew some peroxide and cleaned the bites. "I think I have a splint in here I can put on your ankle that will provide you with some mobility but for the rest of today, I need you to stay off the foot."

Rummaging through the contents of the bag, she removed a splint, which in other circles was an air cast. She adjusted it for his foot, pressed it tightly around the leg, and connected the straps to the Velcro. She pulled out a small bottle of aspirin and handed it to Mai. "Make sure he takes two every 4 to 6 hours for pain."

"Okay, I will," Mai nodded as Lin appeared next to Naru with a glass of water. She shook out two of the white pills and placed them into Naru's hand while Lin gave him the glass of water.

Naru swallowed down the pills and crossed his arms in a huff. He glared at everyone in the room and dared anyone to make a comment about his predicament.

"Mai, take Jessica with you and bring me back some tea. Although, it might be a good idea to bring back a carafe of tea so you won't have to make more than one trip to the kitchen."

"Sure Naru," she leaned over and pressed a light kiss to his lips.

Mai's brooding silence worried him. Was she still upset over what happened in the corridor or did her dream bother her? He wished his twin would make contact with him again, but Gene was unusually quiet. Maybe even his deceased twin was hiding from his bad mood.

* * *

Mai and Jessica strode the hall to the kitchen. Her feet felt like lead. "Mai, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing," she replied as she placed the water-filled kettle on the stove.

"You're worried. I can see it clearly on your face."

Mai bowed her head and looked down at her feet. She sighed as her chest constricted and felt as though her heart were ripped out of her chest. "I couldn't do a thing to help Naru earlier. I mean I'm not a doctor. I'm not that great of an exorcist. Let's face it, other than me being his girlfriend, I'm just a burden." Tears slid down her face as the depression she felt grew. "Maybe he should find someone who's better than me, for that matter maybe Masako's right. Maybe she should be the one who's with him and not me."

"Mai stop talking like that and put your defeatist attitude away. Remember if it weren't for your dream we wouldn't know what is really going on in this house."

"I guess you're right," Mai glanced up and smiled appreciatively at the older woman. "I just worry about him so much. I mean he lost his brother, and now…."

"Now you worry that he might be taken from you like Gene was taken from him." Jessica leaned back in the chair and smiled at the girl who poured the hot water into the carafe. "Things are going to happen that are going to be beyond our control, instead of worrying and making him worry about you try to live every day like it's your last. Then the fear will stop."

Mai looked over at the older woman. "How did you get so smart Jessica?"

Jessica looked at her and then snorted followed by a massive release of laughter. "Me? Smart, oh boy, are you barking up the wrong tree there."

Mai raised her eyebrows at Jessica's response.

"It's nothing. Let's get back to base before Naru sends Lin or worse Takigawa to find us."

Mai giggled as she picked up the tray laden with the carafe and teacups and both women exited the kitchen.

* * *

Lin taped the conversation between Mai and Jessica and handed the tape to Naru so he could listen to it.

The younger man listened to the recording. Hearing Mai talk about how she was a burden hurt his heart. He closed his eyes, but at Jessica's words, he smiled slightly to himself. He had to admit that the older woman had some good advice for the love of his life. When she walked into the room, he wanted to run over to her, give her a hug, and kiss the daylights out of her. However, Ayako would have made him lie back down and rest his ankle.

She poured him a cup of tea and brought it over to him. Then she tugged a small table over so he could use it to set the cup down on it.

He reached out, pulled her down next to him, and encircled her waist with an arm. Taking a sip of his tea, he placed the cup down on the table. "I love you, Mai," he whispered into her ear.

Mai felt his hot breath on her ear that sent shivers down her spine while she visibly shuddered.

Nau's eyes flickered with amusement. "If I knew I could get that kind of reaction out of you, I'd do it more often."

Mai slapped his arm playfully. "Naru, behave." She rolled her eyes at him and gave him a small bashful smile.

Naru pointed to himself, "Me? Misbehave? You must be joking."

"Jerk," Mai playfully smacked him again.

* * *

Father Tojo arrived at the house. A tall man with hair sprinkled with silver over what remained of his black hair. He was still as Mai remembered him, friendly and jovial. She bowed to him. "Welcome, Father."

"Thank you, Miss Taniyama. I hope you're doing well," he gave her a gentle smile.

"Yes, I am. I'll take you to the base where you and John can discuss the exorcism with Naru."

The priest followed her and chuckled at the nickname she had given her boss. For some reason, he couldn't fathom why the older boy still allowed her to call him that.

She led the priest over to where John sat on a chair with Naru still lying on the couch with his foot propped up. Mai poured the three men a cup of tea from the carafe. She busied herself by inspecting Lin's wards to make sure they were holding up against the demon.

"Anything wrong, Mai," she heard Lin over her shoulder.

She jumped not realizing he'd moved over to her. "No, I was just trying to stay out of their way." Even though he was tall, the man moved with a catlike grace.

Lin looked down at the younger girl and smiled gently. "Let's talk as we go over the data recorded from last night."

"Okay," Mai smiled up at him as they went over to the monitors.

"I remember when we were at the case of the cursed house before we found Gene's body. Takigawa said something to you that intrigued me. He said you were destined for greatness with your powers, and I believe he is right. Would you allow me to assist you in helping to train your abilities further?"

"That would be great Lin," she smiled as her face lit up with excitement.

He reached into his satchel and pulled out a book. "This Gene used at one time when he and Naru were training their powers. I had it translated into Japanese for you while we were still in England."

"Thank you, Lin." She felt his body tense as she hugged him, but after a minute, he relaxed. Mai's hands trembled as she took the book holding it reverently. Gene used this at one time, as she looked at the simple cover.

"I will have to call Madoka and have her get several books from my room in England and have them translated from the original Chinese to Japanese. However, please remember if you have, any questions about anything don't be afraid to ask. It's the fool who doesn't ask a question when the wise man always asks."

"My teacher always says it backward."

Lin smirked as he typed some information down into his laptop. "Then your teacher is the fool."

Mai giggled and glanced around hoping no one heard or glanced their way. She liked Lin like this when he was open and allowing some emotion to come through. She leaned back and opened the book and began to read, finding herself absorbed by the topic of clairvoyance and telepathy.

* * *

Naru in a bad mood, boy was that an understatement. He seemed to be taking the fact that he was a little careless in becoming a victim to this demon out on everyone in sight. Everyone was walking on eggshells around him afraid that he would bite their head off at any moment.

After conversing with both John Brown and Father Tojo, the two clergymen left to prepare for the upcoming battle that lay ahead of them.

Naru had Lin going over the data again to find the demons hiding place. Mai, Ayako, and Monk were gone searching around the house to try to draw the demon out of hiding.

"Naru, I believe I found the demon. It's hiding in the den."

"It's time to deal with it now, Thank you, Miss Hara."

Naru with the help of Mai limped into the den. He directed her to stand by the wall with him positioned beside and slightly in front of her to protect her in case something did happen.

Once Naru was satisfied with the arrangements, he nodded towards John and Father Tojo to start the blessing.

John in a strong, but gentle and clear voice began. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me," as he sprinkled holy water around the room.

A chorus of cries came from the Shiga's as Izanami collapsed to the floor in a heap. A second later, she rose as her face contorted into an expression of pure evil, anger, and hate. She smiled at everyone but her smile was more like that of a shark circling its prey. "Where is your God now? He hides like a coward," she turned her head towards John without moving. Everyone flinched at the sound of the vertebrate cracking as her head swiveled around.

"Izanami, what's wrong with you?" Shino asked for an answer he could digest.

She growled at Shino as if she were a wild animal. When she spoke, her voice was cracked and hideous. "You never deserved the children or me."

"Takigawa, Lin, grab her and put her in a chair. Don't let go for anything, she's been possessed." John warned. "We need to perform an exorcism to force the demon out." A foul odor oozed from her body, like a combination of extreme ozone and sulfur.

The two men grabbed the woman and forced her into the chair. She looked up at Lin and spat at him, but he avoided the spittle. "Noli me tangere," she shouted at them.

"They will touch you if we commend them to," Father Tojo spoke up for the first time.

She threw her head back and a maniacal laugh came from her throat. "Ad undas."

"Your place is already ordained with Satan. So you should go to hell first, unclean spirit." John surprised everyone.

He splashed her with holy water. She screamed as if her skin was on fire where the holy water touched her. She glared at the priest. "Asinus ad lyram et asinus asinum fricat."

"What is she saying?" Mai was very confused as to the language she was speaking.

"It's Latin."

"Oh."

"I hate to tell you this unclean spirit but neither of us lie, and we are not jackasses either. The only liar here is you, and I command you to leave this woman and her family alone."

She snaked her head out and snapped in the direction of both priests. Her neck seemed to have done the unthinkable as it stretched and elongated as the vertebrae snapped and popped. "I will not leave here."

John nodded and opened his Bible as Father Tojo held a cross near her. She visibly flinched at the symbol of Christ. Both John and Father Tojo begin to recite, "Saint Michael the Archangel protect us in our day of battle. Be our safeguard from the wickedness trying to ensnare us. May God defeat him we humbly pray, cast out Satan and all the evil spirits by the power of God. Amen."

"What makes you think your god is so powerful," she laughed and spit at Father Tojo. She turned her gaze to Etsu.

The girl collapsed to the ground and Jessica ran to her aid. "Continue the exorcism. I've got her."

John nodded as he began another prayer.

Jessica put her hands on the girl's body and in her native language, she chanted a prayer. "Great Spirit I come to you as one of your many children. I am small and weak and humbly ask you to lend me your strength to save one of your many children." Her hands began to glow and she placed them on Etsu's head, and chest.

She exhaled the breath that she found she was holding and leaned back when Etsu began to breathe again and opened her eyes. There was a collective sigh of relief as Shino grabbed his daughter and held her close.

Jessica glared back at Izanami as John and Father Tojo's prayers gained in intensity and Izanami's threats and curses increased. Jessica added her own prayers to the others. "Great Spirit, protect this house, protect this family. Rid this house of evil. Keep these people safe…" she doubled over in pain as if someone had stabbed her.

Ayako moved over to Jessica, Mai couldn't move for she was supporting Naru's weight.

The demon cackled again as the chair sitting behind the desk levitated and flew through the air aiming for the priests. Everyone in the way ducked and it smashed into a wall.

John commanded the demon to tell him its name. It replies with "Hos tis humanigeneris."

"Then tell us your name, self-proclaimed enemy of the human race."

"In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave, demon."

She snarled like an animal and gnashed her teeth together as vicious sounds of fighting erupted throughout the house. They increased in intensity as if two great armies slammed into each other and noise of at least a thousand wails reached everyone's ears.

Izanami scanned over the faces. In a voice close to normal, she practically cooed. "Mai, oh Mai, I have a gift for you."

Naru throws an arm in front of her. "Don't listen it's a trick. All demons are liars."

"Trying to spoil my fun little man," Izanami snarled as her jaws snapped and a breeze hit both Mai and Naru with enough force to knock them both off their feet.

Mai didn't know where it came from but a named popped into her head and she knows that is what the demons name is. Mai looks up at John, "The demons name is Alastor."

"None other," It cackles again with even more humor in its voice. It turned its head to Mai. "Was it you little girl or your dead friend who supplied you with my name? It doesn't matter. None of you can stop me."

"Actually, I believe we can." John splashed her with more holy water and placed the cross against her forehead. "Alastor, executioner of hell, in the name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave and never return to bother this family ever again!"

Everyone in the room heard a loud clap and then Izanami glanced around as confusion adorned her face. "Why am I in this chair? What happened?" She points at the desk. It's broken in the middle like someone took a saw to it."

Shino strode over and knelt down in front of her taking her hand in his. "You were possessed and Father Tojo and Father Brown performed an exorcism on you. The demon that had you also tried to kill Etsu but that young lady over there somehow saved her." He pointed at Jessica.

Father Tojo took the Shiga's off to another portion of the house. He needed to schedule with them follow-up visits to keep track of how they are doing.

John watched the Shiga's stride out of the room. "Even though they are free of the demon it doesn't mean it can't return."

Naru nodded as he gave the order. "Time to pack up the equipment, our job here is finished." He glanced over at Mai. "Oh and Mai," he paused knowing what her reaction would be, "Tea."

Mai's face went beat red, "Why you…"

* * *

Once the van had been unloaded, everyone went his or her separate ways. Only three people didn't. Lin drove the van into the driveway of the condominium he and Naru shared with Mai. The whole trip he had watched the pair as they quietly couldn't keep their hands off each other.

"Get a room," Lin smirked at the pair of young lover's reaction to his statement.

Mai helped Naru out of his clothes and helped him to climb into the bed. She started to take her own clothes off and felt hands on her as he grabbed her by the arms and pulled her into the bed. She screamed and then erupted into bubbly laughter.

"Naru… come on Naru let me go."

"No, now I've got you all to myself."

A dark shadow hid in the shadows watching the pair. Slowly it crept over towards the bed and there standing over them was the smiling image of Naru's brother who laughed and bellowed loudly for even Lin to hear. "Now ask her to marry you, Noll."

Naru groaned, "Even though he's dead I still can't get away from him."

"Be nice little brother," Gene smiled brightly at the pair.

Mai giggled and smiled brightly at Naru, "Kiss me, you idiot scientist."

The End


End file.
